Filing device



L. WOLF FILING DEVICE Dec. 26, 1939.

Filed July 12. 1935 INVENTOR. L e0 wolf ATTORNEY,

l atent ed Dec. 26, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFics 2,184,786 F ILING DEVICE Leo Wolf, Chicago, 111.

Application Jul 12, 1935, Serial No. 31,043

5 Claims.

This invention relates to letter or bill files of the spindle type, and more particularly such files as are provided with a spindle in two parts so arranged that one of the parts may be removed I with some of the filed papers while the remaining papers are on the other part, thus permitting the easy removal or insertion of a paper anywhere in the stack of papers on file.

Such files have always been unnecessarily clumsy, or their construction has prevented the papers from lying flat, or have been subject to other objections. It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple file of the above type which will be economical of construction and will be reliable in use, and not subject to the objections inherent in such filing devices of the past.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a file of the above type wherein the means for holding the removable spindle part is entirely on the inside of the base, and which may be released by merely pulling upwardly on the spindle part. By this arrangement the bottom of the base may be permanently closed off and the spindle is held in such a manner that papers lie fiat on the file, and the spring does not detract from the effective usable length of the spindle.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a file of this character wherein the removable spindle part or pin may be reversed. This is of importance, from the bookkeeping point of View, during rechecking and accounting. By way of example, the papers are filed on the spindle in the order of their receipt. At the end of a stated period, a day, week, or month, it may be desirable for checking purposes, or for book entering purposes, to go over the papers in the order in which they were filed. With my improved file this becomes a very simple matter, due to the reversibility of the spindle pin, for all the papers may be moved onto the pin portion of the spindle, then the pin is removed, the papers are moved to the other end of the pin, and pin is reversed in its holder.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a spindle of the above type with a point protecting cover to guard against accidental injury to the hand of a user of the spindle. The.

cover also serves as a thumb rest when the spindle pin, with some papers thereon, is being removed, whereby the thumb prevents accidental displacement of papers from the pin at such times.

It is a still further object of the present inventhe tion to provide afile and wall bracket combination from which the file is readily removable;

The attainment of the above and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following specification, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, forming a part thereof.

In the drawing: I

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a file embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a bottom View thereof;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. l is a sectional view of a protecting cap;

Fig. 5 is a view illustrating my improved file used with a wall bracket;

Fig. 6 is a view taken along the line E'J of Fig. 5; and v Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 1-? of Fig. 6. a

Referring now more particularly to Figures 1, 2 and 3, of the drawing, the file is indicated. in general by the reference character I, and includes a base 2, and a spindle 3. The spindle comprises a spindle tube 4, extending through a hole in the base and soldered, or otherwise secured to the base, and a spindle pin'5. The pin 5 extends into the tube 4 and has, at the center thereof, means for limiting the extent to which it may be pushed into the tube, said means comprising wings or projections 6-B formed by pinching the pin in a pair of dies. I

The pin 5 is symmetrical above and below the projections 6-6 so that either end of the pin may be inserted into the tube and held therein, in a manner to be presently set forth. At each end of the pin is formed a peripherally extending groove 1, beyond which is formed a rounded or sharp point 8. Below the groove l is formed a cross-hole 9, through which a cross pin may be inserted for preventing accidental displacement of the papers on the spindle when the spindle is used in a manner such as will be presently set forth.

A U-shaped spring wire it is secured to the under side of the base 2 by a screw l5. When the pin 5 is inserted through the tube l the lower end'of the pin first spreads the arms of the spring wire until the groove 1 comes opposite the wire it, at which time the projections 6 6 rest on the top of the tube 4. The arms of the wire l4 spring into the groove 1 and firmly hold the pin in place. The pin may be removed from the grip of the wire M by merely pulling outwardly on the pin, that is, in a direction away from the I base, without direct manipulation of the spring wire. A metal cap H3 is provided, which cap may be placed over the upper end of the pin 5 as a safety measure to prevent accidental injury to the hand of the user of the file. The cap is held in place by spring pressure which it exerts against the pin. The top of the cap is rounded so that it may pierce a piece of paper, thus obviating the removal of the cap when a paper is to be inserted on the file.

In Fig. 5, I have shown a wall bracket for holding the file. The bracket is indicated at 20, and has a holder 25 secured thereto. The holder is provided with flanges 22 closing the sides thereof, and is open at the top to permit insertion of the base 2 of a file such as is illustrated in Figure 1, and is provided with a slot 24 through which the tube 3 moves as the file is inserted into or removed from the bracket. If desired, an indentation 25 may be formed in the surface of the holder 2!, adjacent to the periphery thereof, for exerting a spring pressure against the top of the base 2 of the file and thus aid in holding the same against rattling or vibration.

From my above description, it is apparent that the pin 5 may be reversed in the tube and that it may be removed from the tube by merely pulling upwardly thereon, since the spring pressure exerted thereagainst, by the spring Hi does not prevent withdrawal.

By reason of the reversibility I obtained a new function hitherto unobtainable in filing spindles. For instance, papers may be filed on the pin 5 and tube l in the order in which they are received, and there left to accumulate for any desired period of time. Thereafter it may be desirable, for bookkeeping purposes, to enter data from various sheets of paper in books, in the order in which those sheets of paper were received. Ordinarily, this might require removal of each individual sheet and replacing the same in inverse order. By my new arrangement all of the sheets may be moved upwardly until they are at the part of the spindle above the projections 6, and then the pin 5 may be removed from the tube 4. Thereafter, the papers are again moved downwardly on the pin so that they are again over the lower part thereof, and the pin is reversed, its opposite end being inserted in the tube 4.

To facilitate such action and to prevent accidental displacement of the papers from the pin, a small pin or needle may be inserted through the hole 9, temporarily, to prevent displacement of the papers, Also, even without the use of the hole 9, the cap it, by reason of its lower blunt edge, will retain the papers against an inadvertent displacement.

The cap it performs another function in very small files, that is, one wherein the total height is only two or three inches. When this is the case the cap facilitates removal of the pin 5 with the papers thereon, because then the operator can place his thumb over the cap and with the other fingers grip the pin 5 below the papers.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 5, the spindle is being held on a wall bracket, and to all intents and purposes becomes a wall type spindle. Thereafter, for bookkeeping or checking purposes, the file may be removed from the bracket and used as an ordinary table or desk type file.

In compliance with the requirements of the patent statutes I have here shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention. It is, however, to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction here shown, the same being merely illustrative of the principles thereof.

What I consider new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A filing device comprising a base, a filing spindle secured to one side of the base and comprising a filing tube and a filing pin both projecting forward of the base with the pin extending a substantial amount forward of the tube, said pin extending through the tube to the rear side of the base, and means on said rear side of the base and exerting a spring pressure against the pin for releasably holding it against retraction, said spring means and said pin being constructed and arranged to permit withdrawal of the pin by an outward pull on the same while the spring is in its normal. position, said pin being of substantially the same construction at each end so that either end may be inserted through the tube and be held in place by the spring means.

2. A filing device comprisinga base, a spindle tube secured to said base, and a spindle pin extending through the tube and projecting outwardly thereof, at the forward end thereof, spring means for releasably holding said pin in said tube, said pin being released from said spring means by a pull on the pin outwardly of the base, both ends of the pin being of substantially the same construction and of the same diameter, so that either end may be inserted into the tube, said pin having a radially extending projection adjacent the center thereof adapted to engage the spindle tube for limiting the extent of insertion of the pin in the tube.

3. A filing device comprising a base having a hole therethrough, a spindle tube secured to one side of the base at the hole, a spindle pin extending through the tube and through the hole in the base to the other side of the base and extending above the tube, said pin being of substantially identical construction at its two ends and of the same uniform diameter from adjacent the center to each end thereof so that either end may be inserted through the tube, spring means on the other side of the base for releasably holding the pin against retraction, said pin and spring being constructed and arranged so that the pin may be released from the spring means by a pull on the pin outwardly of the base, said pin having radially extending means adjacent the center thereof adapted to engage the tube for limiting the extent of movement of the pin into the tube.

4. A filing device comprising a base, a filing spindle secured to one side of the base and comprising a filing tube and a filing'pin of substantially uniform diameter throughout and having a spring receiving groove adjacent one end thereof, said pin extending through the tube to the other side of the base and being reversible in said tube, a spring on said other side of the base, said spring having at least one arm extending into the groove of the pin and exerting a spring pres- .sure against the pin for releasably holding the pin against retraction, said spring means and said pin being constructed and arranged to permit withdrawal of the pin by an outward pull on the same which outward pull forces the spring arm radially outwardly of the pin to release the pin from the spring, said arm bearing against said other side of the base, and screw means for securing the spring to said base, said screw means including a head pressing said arm against said base.

5. A filing device comprising a base, a filing spindle secured to one side-of the base and comprising a filing tube and a filing pin, both being straight for substantially their entire length and both projecting forward of the base with the pin extending a substantial amount forward of the tube and being of uniform diameter for substantially its entire length, said pin extending through the tube to the rear of the base, and means exerting a spring pressure against the pin for releasably holding it against retraction, said spring means and saidpin being constructed and arranged to permit withdrawal of the pin by an outward pull on the same while the spring is in its normal position, said pin having a projection formed thereon intermediate the ends thereof for limiting'the movement of the pin into the tube.

LEO WOLF. 

